title: The dynamic changes of Th17/Treg cytokines in rat liver transplant rejection and tolerance.
abstract: Acute rejection is still a major cause of early graft loss and a risk factor for long-term recipient post-transplant survival. Recently, CD4(+) CD25(+) Foxp3(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells and Th17 cells have been described as two distinct subsets with opposing effects on autoimmunity and transplant immunity. We investigated the existence of Th17/Treg functional imbalance between tolerance and rejection groups during rat liver transplantation. Then, Th17/Treg functions on different levels were investigated comparatively between those two groups, including related cytokine secretion and key transcription factors. REJ groups revealed significant increase in Th17-related cytokine (IL-17, IL-6 and IL-23) and transcription factor (RORγt) levels and remarkable decrease in Treg-related cytokine (IL-10 and TGF-β1) and transcription factor (Foxp3) levels when compared to day-matched TOL groups from day 3 post-transplantation. Results indicated Th17/Treg functional imbalance between tolerance and rejection groups during rat liver transplantation, suggesting a potential role of Th17/Treg imbalance in pathogenesis of acute transplant rejection.
authors.affiliation: Chongqing Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, PR China.
authors.forename: Jinzheng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Wangyang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Yiming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jianping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D057132:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D023001:Transplantation Tolerance / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C500522:Foxp3 protein, rat; D057132:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3; C539902:Rorc protein, rat